Moby-Dick Chapter 131: The Pequod meets the Delight Summary

The Pequod encounters another Nantucket whaling ship, the Delight. The Delight had a recent encounter with Moby Dick that left five men drowned, another dead, and a whaling boat destroyed.

All Ahab cares about is whether the Delight managed to kill Moby Dick, which it didn’t. He shows them his forged-in-blood harpoon and announces his quest.

The captain of the Delight commends Ahab to God.

Ahab notices that the Delight is about to bury the dead man at sea and orders the Pequod to turn away quickly – but Queequeg’s coffin is still attached to the side of the ship, so they can’t escape death.